Tips on Recycling Your Old Electronics

Much as I loved the scene in Office Space where the guys totally take apart that old printer, I'm also forced to admit... they probably should have recycled it. (And if you're like my family, you kept your 1995...

Much as I loved the scene in Office Space where the guys totally take apart that old printer, I'm also forced to admit... they probably should have recycled it. (And if you're like my family, you kept your 1995 desktop sitting around for way too long because you weren't quite sure what to do with it.) But resist the temptation to take it apart with a baseball bat--not only is that not particularly eco-smart, but it's probably illegal. Fortunately, there are options. Kroll Ontrack provides a thorough write-up here, but here's a summary:

• The first thing you absolutely have to do when getting rid of your old computer--and you've heard this a million times--is overwrite the files. Emptying the recycle bin doesn't cut it. Get a disk-cleaning utility that will overwrite your hard drive.

• Ask: Could anyone else use this? If it's less than five years old, then someone probably could. You can either give the thing to organizations directly (call around and ask if they're interested--try schools and nonprofits), or through manufacturers or refurbishers, who will wipe your hard drive for you. Remember to throw in the accessories.

• If it's too old or broken, recycle it.

The big question: where to recycle or donate? The EPA website has a super list of websites that will let you find a location or organization. If you just want to find out where you can drop off that old system, MyGreenElectronics provides addresses by zipcode. TechSoup also provides a huge list of organizations that are looking for donated computers.